Ambulances, toilets, trains, airports… The endless strike in the United Kingdom

It is not being the best year for the United Kingdom. After the death of Isabel II, who reigned for 70 years, is added the political and economic instability that crowns the nation Boris JohnsonFirst, Liz Truss slightly later and now Rishi Sunak. The role of British prime minister has never navigated through such uncertainty. Outside the large offices and warehouses, it is the strikes that threaten to paralyze the country in the middle of the festive period. Ambulances, transport networks, health workers and even teachers are demanding salary improvements given the high cost of living in the country.

The protest movement makes British headlines. Sunak’s conservative government seems reticent to discuss salary improvements, a request that various sectors have demanded from the prime minister. before a inflation above 10%the social tension increases by the minute.

Above all, it is concerned check of the public health system (NHS). Added to the ambulance strike is that of the nurses and emergency workers. Despite this, Sunak defended last Tuesday the current mechanism for setting the salaries of public sector workers.

Independent wage-setting councils “exist because pay is obviously a difficult thing to decide and they take into account the various interests at stake,” the Conservative prime minister argued before the House of Commons Liaison Committee.

“The Government has accepted its recommendations completely, in all sectors, not only in the health sector. In many cases the increases were above what the government initially thought that was possible, higher in many cases than what is offered in the private sector,” he added.

[Las huelgas masivas amenazan con colapsar Reino Unido: el Gobierno recomienda no viajar]

This group, on strike for the first time since the union existed -100 years ago-, has become a symbol of the rising cost of living.

“They hurt patients”

It is expected that some 10,000 ambulance workers stop between December 21 and 28 to demand better wages. His strike will join the one called by the nurses union, RCN, on December 20. They have given Sunak a 48-hour ultimatum to reverse the situation. If they do not comply with what is desired, they will start a new strike.

An independent public health body had recommended a 4.75% salary increase for nurses, although the union that represents this group is asking for a 19% increase that the Government has so far refused to negotiate.

According to him Daily TelegraphUK Health Secretary Steve Barclay has accused healthcare unions of “knowingly harming patients”some statements that they consider “insulting” to the personnel of the public health system.

No ambulances or trains

Another group that demands salary improvements is that of railway workers. The employees of the companies CrossCountry, Great Western Railway and West Midlands Trains will go on strike between December 26 and 29 for a conflict, not only wages, but also job security. Services in central and south-west England will come to a complete halt.

Meanwhile, the agents of the Border Force will interrupt their work for eight days, from December 23 to 31which could cause major disruptions to travel over Christmas.

Faced with this scenario, the British Government has appealed to citizens to what avoid traveling if it is not essential and rethink your vacation “because it may be affected.” “If all these strikes are carried out, undeniably there will be a severe disorder for the thousands of people who have travel plans”, said the Minister of the Interior, Suella Braverman.

“Is very unfortunate that they have made the decision to go on strike at critical times before and after Christmas and the New Year,” he said.